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Winter Park boutique faces move after landlord declines to renew leas
A family-owned boutique that has operated on Park Avenue for four decades is searching for a new location after its landlord declined to renew its lease.
ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - A beloved Winter Park boutique is closing its doors on Park Avenue after 40 years of business, but the city is hopeful the store will find a way to stay in the area.
Winter Park City Manager Randy Knight told FOX 35, "Tuni’s has been a valued merchant on Park Avenue for many years. We are hopeful they will be able to find another location along the Avenue and continue to be part of our retail family."
The owners of Tuni – which opened on Park Avenue in 1986 – announced the closure of its Park Avenue storefront after celebrating 40 years of business at this location.
This comes after the shop's owners announced a "national business" is taking over the space.
Why is Tuni moving off the corner?
What we know:
The sudden move comes after the store owners claimed the new landlord – Benderson Development – made the decision to lease the historic Park Plaza storefront to an undisclosed national brand.
FOX 35 has reached out to Benderson Development, inquiring about their alleged decision to bring in another brand.
Benderson acquired a 25,000 square foot mixed-use property in 2024, including the space Tuni is leasing.
A Park Avenue fixture since 1986
The backstory:
Sitting just across from the Peacock fountain between Park and New England avenues, the boutique has brought charm and style to the heart of Winter Park since 1986.
The mother-daughter duo behind the shop announced the closure through a sentimental video on Facebook.
In the June 16 social media post, Mom, Tuni, and daughter, Paige, said they have about a month remaining on their lease. During that time, they’ll be packing up the store, they said.
"We’ll figure this out, and we will," Tuni said in a social media post. "One thing is for certain, we are taking all of you with us," Paige added.
Watch: Tuni owners say goodbye to Park Avenue store
What's next:
Though it’s not known where Tuni will be moving to next, the owners teased to stay tuned as "things are clearly happening quickly around here."
The Source: This story was written based off a public statement shared by Tuni via Facebook and a statement from a Winter Park spokesperson.